Other Services

Comprehensive Cardiovascular Panel

Cholesterol testing has historically been used as the standard indicator for cardiovascular disease classified as HDL (good) or LDL (bad). However, it is actually the lipoprotein particles that carry the cholesterol throughout the body, not necessarily the cholesterol within them, that are responsible for key steps in plaque production and the resulting development of cardiovascular disease. Approximately 50 percent of people suffering from heart attacks have shown "normal" cholesterol numbers (NHLBI – The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute). Now there is an advanced cholesterol testing technology, which accurately measures both the density and number of lipoprotein particles. Measuring the lipoprotein subgroups is the only way to evaluate new risk factors, which is crucial for an accurate assessment of cardiovascular risk – according to the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP). Cardiovascular risk increases with a higher LDL particle count. With a higher non-HDL lipoprotein count the probability of particle penetration of the arterial wall rises, regardless of the total amount of cholesterol contained in each particle.